CBI questions Harish Rawat

New Delhi, June 7 (IANS) The CBI on Tuesday questioned Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat in the wake of a “sting” video showing him offering bribes to buy legislative support in the state assembly.

Rawat reached the Central Bureau of Investigation headquarters after 11 a.m. The questioning began a little later, a CBI official told IANS.

Rawat was questioned in the same case for around five hours on May 24.

The sting video showed Rawat offering money to rebel Congress legislators to win their support ahead of a March 28 floor test in the 70-member Uttarakhand house. The floor test never happened as the state came under President’s Rule a day earlier.

The video was shot by a Noida-based private TV channel, Samachar Plus, and was released on March 26 by nine Congress legislators who had rebelled against Rawat’s government.

Based on a reference from the state government, then under President’s Rule, and further orders from the central government, the CBI on April 25 initiated a preliminary inquiry to determine the authenticity of the sting operation.